A cooking appliance has a pivotable pot having a pot pivot axle and a pivotable lid having a lid pivot axle, and includes a common drive for pivoting the pot and the lid.

Systems, methods and apparatuses for making fryers safer and/or more energy efficient are disclosed. Methods and devices in accordance with the present disclosure generally comprise a cover, having a number of flaps, doors or plates that open upwardly or downwardly to receive a basket. Flaps/doors may be solid, perforated or the like. The cover can be maintained in a suitably rigid closed locked position, for example, by a locking mechanism, preventing the basket(s), body parts, or other items from unintentionally being placed in the fryer. In such embodiments, the cover also prevents the loss of heat from the oil. Alternatively, the cover may be maintained in a closed position, though not necessarily locked, with a primary purpose of preventing heat loss from the oil. In such embodiments, the cover may be vented.

The present invention provides a combination pressure cooker and air fryer lid that may be selectively coupled to a vessel. When the lid and the vessel are coupled, the lid may be adjustable between two positions. In the first position, the lid may be used for pressure cooking. In the second position, the lid may be used for air frying. To transition the lid from the first position to the second position, a handle on the lid may be rotated in a particular direction. Conversely, to transition the lid from the second position to the first position, the handle on the lid may be rotated in an opposite direction. Advantageously, in performing either of the pressure cooking or air fryer cooking functions, the lid need not be replaced.

Some implementations of the described methods relate to a process for frying coffee beans (and/or another food product) in a fry medium (such as cooking oil) and then centrifuging the coffee beans (and/or other food product) to remove a significant portion of the fry medium. Although the frying and centrifugation can occur in separate devices, in some cases, the described systems comprise a device that acts as both a fryer and a centrifuge. Indeed, in some cases, after the coffee beans (or other food product) has been fry roasted in a perforated container (e.g., a basket), the fry medium is drained from the container, and container is spun. In some cases, liquid nitrogen is also applied to the beans (or other food product), before and/or after being fry roasted. Other implementations are described.

The invention relates to a cooking assembly (1) which comprises an electrical cooking appliance (2) and a draining base (3), the electrical cooking appliance (2) comprising a vessel (10) provided with a draining device (60) that has a valve (61), the draining base (3) comprising a draining receptacle (70) and a cover (80) for said receptacle, the receptacle cover (80) forming a passage (80a) for discharge of the cooking bath in the draining receptacle (70), said draining base (3) having a control member (4), and the cooking assembly (1) having a draining configuration in which the draining base (3) supports the electrical cooking appliance (2) and in which the control member (4) moves the valve (610 into the open position. According to the invention, the electrical cooking appliance (2) rests on the receptacle cover (80) when the cooking assembly (1) is in the draining configuration.

The present invention provides a combination pressure cooker and air fryer lid that may be selectively coupled to a vessel. When the lid and the vessel are coupled, the lid may be adjustable between two positions. In the first position, the lid may be used for pressure cooking. In the second position, the lid may be used for air frying. To transition the lid from the first position to the second position, a handle on the lid may be rotated in a particular direction. Conversely, to transition the lid from the second position to the first position, the handle on the lid may be rotated in an opposite direction. Advantageously, in performing either of the pressure cooking or air fryer cooking functions, the lid need not be replaced.

A combination pressure and open frying apparatus includes at least one selectively closeable frypot and a cover configured to selectively close the frypot. The selectively closeable frypot is configured to operate as a pressure frying platform when the cover is closed and configured to operate as an open frying platform when the cover is open. The apparatus includes a clamping mechanism with a spindle that includes a shaft and a handle that is configured to be selectively mounted to the shaft in a plurality of positions relative to the shaft. The apparatus may also include at least one second frypot that can operate at least as an open frying platform, with a common filtration system for the frypots having a selector valve and a failsafe valve, which prevents flow of cooking medium into at least one selectively closeable frypot when the selectively closeable frypot is pressurized.

Automated pressure fryer systems, cooking vessels, heated oil reservoirs, and methods of operating same to conduct pressure frying cooking cycles are disclosed. An example automated pressure fryer system includes a plurality of cooking vessels, each with a locking lid that engages to form a pressure-sealed cooking chamber for cooking oil and food items, and a food carrier coupled to the lid's bottom surface to hold food items, a gantry system movably positioned above the cooking vessels, and a gripper mechanism coupled to the gantry system and configured to engage and manipulate the locking lids.

A combination pressure and open frying apparatus includes at least one selectively closeable frypot and a cover configured to selectively close the frypot. The selectively closeable frypot is configured to operate as a pressure frying platform when the cover is closed and configured to operate as an open frying platform when the cover is open. The apparatus includes a clamping mechanism with a spindle that includes a shaft and a handle that is configured to be selectively mounted to the shaft in a plurality of positions relative to the shaft. The apparatus may also include at least one second frypot that can operate at least as an open frying platform, with a common filtration system for the frypots having a selector valve and a failsafe valve, which prevents flow of cooking medium into at least one selectively closeable frypot when the selectively closeable frypot is pressurized.